This application claims priority of Taiwan patent Application No. 89222029, filed on Dec. 19, 2000.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a desk with a leg-and-stretcher coupling unit, more particularly to a desk with a leg-and-stretcher coupling unit that permits adjustment of an angle between two interconnected stretchers of the desk.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional desk normally includes a desk top, a plurality of legs, and a plurality of stretchers interconnecting the legs. The conventional desk is disadvantageous in that the relative positions among the legs are fixed. As a consequence, the legs cannot be adjusted so as to suit a desired spacing that does not conform to the geometric dimensions of the desk.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a desk with a coupling unit that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawback of the prior art.
According to the present invention, a desk comprises: a desk top; a plurality of legs for supporting the desk top, each of the legs extending in a longitudinal direction; a plurality of stretchers, each extending between and having two opposite ends connected to two adjacent ones of the legs; and a coupling unit including a plurality of first linkages, each of which is detachably mounted on a respective one of the legs, each of which defines a centerline in the longitudinal direction, and each of which includes a plurality of angularly spaced apart first engaging members around the centerline. The coupling unit further includes a plurality of second linkages, each of which is secured to and extends from a respective one of the opposite ends of a respective one of the stretchers, and each of which includes a second engaging member that selectively engages one of the first engaging members so as to permit adjustment of an angle between two interconnected ones of the stretchers. Each of the first linkages includes a cylindrical part that defines the centerline, and that is formed with a plurality of alternately disposed first engaging grooves and engaging ridges which extend in the longitudinal direction. Each of the engaging ridges defines a respective one of the first engaging members and is defined by a ridge-confining wall that has a C-shaped cross-section. Each of the second linkages is in the form of a clamp that has two opposing clamp arms. The clamp arms have two opposing curved ends which define a respective one of the second engaging members, which are inserted into two adjacent ones of the first engaging grooves, and which have inner faces that substantially conform to and that abut tightly against the ridge-confining wall of a respective one of the engaging ridges so as to secure the stretchers to the legs.